Too Much of Nothing — Michael Scott Moore

MICHAEL SCOTT MOORE'S captivating debut novel follows the exploits of two teenage boys: Eric, intelligent, thoughtful, socially restless honors student, and Tom, a defiant, posturing rebel with a taste for cocaine and cowboy hats. Fifteen years after his ostensibly accidental death at the hands of Tom, Eric narrates the story of his last few months on earth. He believes he is a nefesh, a restless Jewish ghost that wanders the earth until put at ease, and he ultimately realizes that in order to find peace he must reconcile his resentment and vengefulness with his own enduring sense of guilt. Humorous, honest, and, at time heartbreaking, Too Much of Nothing is a story about the confusion and frustration we face while coming of age and the fears and apprehensions that may persist well after death.